It started with a night off
by Bluntforcetrauma
Summary: Not really to sure where this one is going, its a working progress. RR if you've any ideas :


All the CSI's were seated around a table in a busy casino bar. Nick, Greg, Warrick, Sara and Catherine, they were watching the entertainment and talking.

"You know I think this is the only night off I think we have ever had all together" exclaimed Warrick. "Yeah it's about the only good thing about us being split up from graveyard to swing shift, and now all the hours have been cut we have at least two days off a week," agreed Nick. "I would rather we were all still a team though, I miss working with the best team everyday" "That's what happens when you don't play the politics game, don't worry about it Catherine we'll show Ecklie where we belong." "Thanks Warrick" "So Sarah" asked Catherine "Why did you suggest we all meet here and on open mike night?" "You fancy yourself a singer?" "No Warrick, I don't! You see the two piece band that's on stage, that girl walking up to the mike with the guitar is my friend." "Are you serious you know her, man she's smoking hot" The whole table looks over at Greg. "Sorry was that last bit out loud?" "So Warrick you're a music man, you gonna do us a number?" Enquired Nick jokingly. "Yeah it's a 419 if you don't shut up man!" The guys all laugh and listen to the two piece band that is finishing off a song, there is a girl standing playing guitar and singing the other is a guy an a piano sitting close to the front of the stage. The singer approaches the mike "Ladies and gents we are Stria thanks for coming out here tonight, and this last song goes out to my friend Sara Sidle she was my muse for this song, and she's out in the crowd somewhere, we gonna slow things down just for a second its called Not Alone." The bar claps and the guitar starts playing a slow tune.  
"Life is getting harder day by day,  
and I, I don't know what to do what to say  
and my mind is growing weak every step I take  
its uncontrollable now they think I'm fake,  
But I'm not alone, no no no. I'm not alone.  
I get on the train on my own  
and my tired radio keeps playing tired songs  
I know that there's not long to go  
'cos all I want to do is go home  
But I'm not alone no no no. I'm not alone.

People stare because I'm not meant to be here  
everyday is the same but I don't care,  
Because, I'm not alone. But I'm not alone"

The whole table of CSI's clap and cheer Sara looks truly touched. The band walks off stage about ten minutes later a new band walk on and start playing. Stria walk out of a back door and over to the CSI's table, Sara jumps up and hugs her friend. "You were awesome, I have missed you so much," "I missed you too I can't believe its been nearly a three years since I last saw you. It's so good to be here. This is Michael," he took his arms from around her waist to shake hands "Hey how are you" His shaggy brown hair flopped over his forehead but you could still see his sharp blue eyes, his shirt was un-tucked from his fashionably torn jeans he wore slung low. "Everyone this is Alice, Alice this is everyone, Nick, Greg, Warrick, and Catherine" Everyone say's hi and exchanges handshakes the casually dressed CSI's make room on the table for two more, the waitress brings over another round of drinks and a round of shots. "I'm not much of a sambucca girl" "Come on Sara" encourages Greg "yes you are ready on three, Cheers everyone." "Cheers" A while later after many more drinks Catherine and Warrick decline the offer to go to a club. Greg, Nick, Sara, Alice and Michael all jump out of a taxi and into the club. "Sure you wont join us Catherine?" said Nick as he leans back into the taxi "Hey Nicky if you promise me a dance I'm there" "Lets go babes." He gives her a cheeky wink and holds out his arm, she takes it. "Warrick?" "Sorry man, responsibilities now." He shows Nick his wedding band finger, they smile at each other and the cab drives off.

Michael and Alice are holding hands as they enter the club everyone else follows in just behind them as they get in Michael gives Alice a kiss on the cheek and goes off. Everyone else checks their coats in and finds a table "Where Michael going" asked Greg "He's going to do his thing, we go our separate ways and then meet on the dance floor a bit later." "That's so cute, so you don't mind him dancing with other girls?" "Erm its not girls he's dancing with. He's not my boyfriend he's my best mate," Alice looks into Greg's eyes and there is an awkward moment between them, as they both look very shy and are standing about a foot apart Nick is watching and gives Greg a shove in the back towards her. "So do you wanna dance?" "Sure I'd really like that" Greg's takes Alice's hand and takes her onto the dance floor they start dancing, Sara follows and the three are dancing together, Nick and Catherine are left standing at the table. "Man I aint ever seen Sara drink she's so different." "Relax she's just having fun which is what we should be doing, come on you promised me a dance." Catherine holds out her hand and Nick leads her onto the dance floor where they join the rest of the group.  
The next morning Alice is asleep in her clothes on Sara's sofa with Greg asleep on the floor next to her with a blanket over him, his hair no messier than usual and his muddy brown eyes are hidden beneath his soft gentle eyelids. Sara is in her double bed asleep diagonally very quietly snoring. The ringing of Alice's phone wakes her up and she has a whispered conversation with Michael who is back at the hotel, she rubs her eyes, rolls over and smiles at Greg who is still sleeping, after she strokes his hair for a minute or two Alice gets up and slips on her coat and leaves a note on the table. 'Thanks for letting me stay, call me when you are up love Alice x PS Greg 074853210'  
Over at Nicks house he is just stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel over his lower half, he rubs his deep, rich brown eyes and he heads downstairs to the kitchen where Catherine is sitting drinking a coffee her strawberry blonde hair look's immaculate as always a smile comes over her face as Nick walks in "Morning Nicky, how's your head?" Nick rubs his head and whispers "Sorry I didn't realise you were up," He gestures towards the towel "No, no your fine," "Man, my head and throat are killing me!" Catherine chuckles to herself, she gets up and pours Nick a coffee and puts it on the table next to hers. As he sits down next to her she opens her handbag and puts two white pills in front of him. "These will help with your head!" she jokingly whispers. Nick flashes his smile at her, even with tired eyes it lights up his whole face. "Why don't you look like or feel like hell this morning?" "That's nice of you to say but trust me I feel plenty like hell." "I think mirrors, shouting and lights should be banned when you feel this bad." "Take these, and drink the coffee, get another sleep in before work and you'll be fine. You know we had two days off so there gonna work us hard!" "Yeah I suppose" Well Lindsay's Grandma is dropping her home in an hour so I've gotta go. We're meant to be doing her project for the science fair. See you at work, thanks for the spare bed I don't think I would of made it all the way back to mine in that cab without falling asleep or throwing up!" "Any time, thanks for the pills, and the coffee. I had a great time last night, see you later Catherine." Nick walks Catherine to the front door and waves her off he then goes back inside to finish his coffee.  
Back at Sara's place Sara wakes up and sees Greg wearing only his underwear stretching up as high as he can giving a huge yawn and revealing a small crease going down the centre of his stomach, Sara lets out a scream "AHH " and Greg jumps with fright, and yells back "AHH" "Greg what the hell are you doing here?" "I came home with you, you invited me, and I slept on the floor I swear!" He stopped and looked Sara who was wearing blue and red tartan pyjamas up and down, "Nice pyjamas!" "Shut-up, at least you're not in tighty-wighty's." Sara looks a Greg's slightly toned stomach, and he quickly grabs the blanket that was at his feet. "Don't objectify me!" They both smile at each other and Sara walked over to the breakfast bar and put the kettle on. "You didn't mind people being close to you last night, I mean you and Alice got pretty hot and heavy on the dance floor and you must have done something right, she left you her number." She turns to look at Greg who has put on his jeans and has his t-shit in his hand and gives him a stern look into his eyes and raises her eyebrows as if expecting an explanation. "Erm. Well it was Nick who made me ask her to dance and..." Sara interrupts with a smile "Greg I was kidding, Alice is usually pretty shy around the guys that's all, you guys seemed to hit it off. Just be careful ok." "What no, don't hurt her or I'll kill you speech?" "Do you need it? Greg I have known for years now I know your secret," Greg looks worried and a bit nervous "Err you do?" there is a silence between them for a few seconds just when the kettle clicks. "Look I can explain, it was a while ago but." He pauses to try and think what to say. "Your one of the good guys Greg, good friend, great at your job, has some personality, it's about time you found someone nice. coffee?" "Yeah cheers, So my secret is out I'm a good guy!" "You know I used to think of you as an annoying little brother who's now all grown up and actually pretty cool" "Great, I used to think about you too." "Really why?" Just then the phone rings and Sara answers it. "Hello" Greg's face is a mixture of relief and annoyance, after waiting for the right time to tell her how he really felt. Now the perfect moment had gone. It was rare he had ever seen Sara on her own without one of them dashing of to do bits of work or being interrupted even now didn't seem the perfect time but Greg doubted there ever would be. Sara came and sat back down, that was Alice, and I'm meeting her for dinner before work. Thanks for coming along last night, it was really great you guys came with me." "I had a great time, it's a shame we don't get out more often but when there's crime to solve we'll always have a job to do." "You got that right" "Well I have to go Stevie will be getting hungry." Greg drinks the rest of his coffee and puts the mug on the side; Sara asks puzzled "Who's Stevie?" "My goldfish! He makes the best flat mate, only his rent is always late" "Or wet!" "Yeah, see you at work, thanks for the floor, I need to go home for the three S's, Shower, shave and" "Got it Greg, see you later." Greg leaves Sara's apartment and hails a taxi.

Its 3.30pm the uniformed stucco house was illuminated with lights from the TV in the upstairs bedroom and the light from the refrigerator. There were two pools of blood to accompany the flickering lights one large and clean all over the white tiled kitchen floor and the other splattered across the once soft velvet of a headboard. In the kitchen a set of smart pine units lined the walls. A dead body lay between the open refrigerator door and the pine table that centred the room face up with several wounds to his torso mainly aimed at his vital organs including the heart. The pine table was clean apart from a block of cheese and two slices of white bread on a chopping board the knife used for cutting was firmly in the victims hands blood soaked and still warm.  
In the upstairs room as the TV light shone, a picture perfect girl lay there as if sleeping, no imperfections to her flawless complexion apart from the single bullet wound that penetrated her temple and the blood which had soaked parts of her shoulder length blonde hair. The purple bed was made as if someone had made the bed around her lifeless body; the light purple colour matched the shaggy soft carpet, floor length curtains and up lighter lampshade. The only thing that seemed out of place was the small black handgun, which lay griped in her hands pointing toward the floor from her droopy arm.  
In a darkened bedroom of the house there lay another body, still and motionless. The room was smaller than the other rooms in the house and much simpler. Minimalist decoration on the plain blue wallpaper, no posters or pictures of friends just a single framed picture of two young boys, which sat upon the single wooden dresser opposite the single blanketed bed in which the body lay. Under the picture on a ruled piece of A4 paper was a note written in blue biro ' _Too my boys_ _I'm sorry, everyday hurts I feel I have no purpose, ambition or hopes for the future. Sorry you wasted your love on someone as wothless as me. Take care of each other. Charlie._'

Sara and Alice are seated at a Texas themed diner waiting for their meals and drinking coke out of cups with mini bull horns sticking out if them. Sara is ready for work wearing her usual black slacks and jacket; under the jacket she wore her favourite red t-shirt. Alice is more casual in her jeans, red converse and red and white t-shirt. A woman dressed as a cowgirl presents the small booth they are seated in with their food. "Thank you" they both say to the cowgirl waitress who's name tag read Bethany. "What time are you working tonight?" Alice asks as they both start to eat. "I start in a couple of hours at 8'o'clock, I've already had the heads up from Nick its gonna be a long night the day shift was totally backed up with work." "It sounds like fun!" "I wouldn't change it for the world but sometimes it does get rough. Anyway lets talk about something lighter, what's going on with you and Mr Sanders?" "What we talk about here stay's here right?" "Sure" "Nothing, well ok I don't know. We danced together pretty much all night then I left him my number when I left yours and he hasn't called yet so never mind. I was really stoked though when he asked me to dance, no one ever asks me. I'm kinda the wallflower of the dances." She smiles at Sara who looks puzzled, "How come you're so shy, I mean you looked like you had bags of confidence on the stage." "That's because I'm not shy when I'm hiding behind my guitar, I see it as my way to tell the world how I feel. You know they made me a councillor for two years to come to that conclusion, I wouldn't talk to anyone ever, kinda stupid huh?" "I think you have nothing to worry about, I've seen the real you and I'm pretty sure Michael has seen the real you and we both like you don't we and last night Greg seemed to like you a lot" "Yeah I guess, its easy to talk to Michael though he understands everything apart from you he's the only family I have." "Was Michael in care as well?" "Yeah he moved into Judy and Dave-'s about three years ago. He took your old room after the twins left." "What made you come to Vegas?" "Well I got my licence and so did he, we finished school and packed our bags we're away for the summer before college. I never would have got their if it wasn't for Judy or Dave. Or you, Thanks." "Why are you thanking me for?" "Because you were the one who pushed me to do better, that I didn't have to become another drop out child of the state. Its hard for most of them not having that one person to have as a role model to show them where to go." "Well you will do great at college. What are you studying?" "Social care, child development and psychology." "Wow cool, what about Michael?" "He is off to join the military after the summer then who knows." "I'm glad your both doing well.

They carry on eating and finish their meals after a few minutes silence Sara says "Don't worry about Greg, he will call you. He's probably taking advice from Nick or Warrick to not call you for a couple of days to 'play it cool' but I'll give him a kick up the ass later for you" They both laugh and Sara's pager vibrates in her pocket. _'Triple homicide my office ASAP Gil' _"Damn, sorry I have to go to work breaks over, I'll drop you back at the hotel on the way and call you when I finish, we can go check out the sights of Vegas!" "Sounds cool." As the two girls get up and leave they pay the waitress and head towards the door, waiting outside is Greg with one hand holding his pager and the other holding a bunch of flowers. "Greg what are you doing here?" asks Sara, Greg hold up his pager and replies, "I'm just on my way to work but I knew you guys were here so I stopped by to say hi." Sara winks at Alice then heads towards the car. "I'll wait in the car." "Erm. I was asleep when you left this morning so I didn't get to say what a great time I had last night and maybe we could do it again some time?" "Yeah, that would be great" "I also wanted to give you these" Greg hands her the bunch of flowers "and this" He leans foreword and places his hands on her waist, gently and slowly he pecks her on the cheek as he slowly draws his face away from hers Alice puts her free hand on his shoulder and they both look at each other nose to nose and smile Alice then moves her hand calmly from his shoulder to the back of his neck and they kiss, Greg's hands move softly from her waist around to the small and top of her back as he pulls her closer. After a few seconds they are interrupted by a car horn going off and Yelling from out the window as they both stop they turn to the road to see Warrick and Nick clapping and cheering in the SUV "Woo, Go Greg!" "Who the man Greg?" As they are both still holding each other they start to laugh as the SUV drives foreword and parks up. "You should go to work, go, call me when you're free." "Sorry about the guys, see you later." He gives her one more peck on the cheek as they both walk their separate ways to their cars Greg jumps in with the boys and Alice finds her way to Sara's car where she is on the phone to Nick and Warrick "I'll ask, ok see you in 10." She disconnects the call and starts to drive, after a few blocks and Sara is trying hard not to giggle, "Why are you smiling like the cat who got the cream? Your not the one who just got flowers and a fantastic kiss." "Ahh so he's a fantastic kisser, there goes my next question. Me and the guys were just wondering, you know for………………evidence what kind of kisser Greg was and I just one $10 thanks" "What?" "Nick had washing machine kisser and Warrick had to much tongue in my throat kisser! I had good kisser so I win. Luckily they were doing a car pool today" "Why was that lucky?" "Because now we are $15 better off!" "Well you can use that $15 and take me for a drink tomorrow. Thanks for the lift, have a good night at work." "I will take care" Sara drives off in her SUV and meets Greg, Nick and Warrick in the car park of the lab. Nick and Warrick are patting Greg on the back and pinching his cheeks when Catherine walks over on her way to the entrance, "Why all the jolly in the car park did I miss something?" "No nothing I think you'll find we have work to do" with that Greg walks off ahead and leaves Catherine, Sara, Nick and Warrick standing there. Sara chips in "You guys owe me 5 bucks each!" "He's a good kisser? Damn!" "Who would have guessed?" Warrick and Nick find the wallets as they start following Greg into HQ. "Here's my 5, wish I hadn't bet on bit my tongue kiss" "Thank you Catherine" The team are all in high spirits as they enter Grissom's office where he is sat behind his desk behind a mountain of unfinished paperwork as always. Stood next to him was the ever more popular Ecklie. "Welcome one and all, I'm glad you had two days to get yourselves refreshed, I trust we all had a good time?" No one said anything they just all stared blankly at him" "I'm sorry to have to call you in early. But triple homicide we need to work together to get this done, Gil I'll leave the rest to you. Bring me results people. With that Ecklie left the room and went to his office. "So how come it takes all of us on this one case?" Catherine asks. "The victims parents are high up the political food chain and this is a priority case, according to Ecklie everything stops until this is solved." "So because Ecklie kisses ass we have to too?" "No we just solve the crime, Ecklie can kiss all the ass he wants! Shall we?"

The team all get up and head out to the car park where they split into two teams and into their SUV's. As they arrive Warrick, Nick, and Catherine jump out the first of the two vehicles and collect there crime kits from the back. Sara, Grissom and Greg do the same just a few seconds later as they trail behind. An officer approaches them with a friendly expression. "Catherine, Grissom. Good to see you again, shame about the circumstances. Hey guys," "Hey" The collective group all reply. "This is what we have so far, Male DB in the kitchen stabbed, DB female in the upstairs bedroom took a bullet to the head and a third in the what seems to be spare room in bed no obvious cause of death David's in there now." "Thanks Marty, who was it called in?" Asked Catherine. "Neighbour said she came round to borrow a video when she got no answer she looked through the kitchen window and saw our vic. She called it in about an hour ago." "Is that her?" enquires Sara, "I'll take her." "Good thank you Sara, Greg you do the downstairs with me Catherine, Warrick you take the upstairs, Nick do you want to start on the perimeter and Sara can join you when she's done?" "Sure" "Sounds good to me," Said Catherine looking at the team. "Lets get to it people." The team all now dressed in their signature black slacks and windbreaker jackets head into the house, an officer waiting at the door hands shoe covers to them. Nick pulls out his torch and heads to the left of the front door and starts looking for any obvious points of entry using the beam as a focus point. Warrick and Catherine head upstairs to the female DB's bedroom. As they enter they can see an immaculately tidy room apart from an officer and a coroner. The desk in the corner is the only thing that looks out of place with messy piles of papers on. The light purple shades on the furniture looked darker as the victim's curtains were shut. David assistant coroner was knelt on the floor beside the body "David," Said Warrick in a polite manor. "Warrick how are you? Catherine?" "Good cheers Dave, do I need to ask the cause of death?"


End file.
